Evidence of meeting #4 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was crisis.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Of who elects the elected chiefs of the Wet'suwet'en communities.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Wet'suwet'en communities, yes. Correct.
Liberal
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Do you know that the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs are part of that community?
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal Toronto—St. Paul's, ON
My understanding, and from the Supreme Court decision, is that the hereditary chiefs...that there is the conversation now about title of the whole community, not just the reserve lands.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Let me just say what Gary Naziel, who is a wing chief of the Wet'suwet'en community—
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
—said to us. We met with him in Prince George three weeks ago now. He said that the elected chiefs are actually elected by the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs as well. They are a true representative of the Wet'suwet'en community of hereditary and community members. Were you aware of that?
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal Toronto—St. Paul's, ON
Absolutely, and that's why now the hereditary chiefs will go back to their clans and their houses and their elected chiefs—
Conservative
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
I have to go through these quickly, so my next question—
Liberal
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
I hope you're going to give me more time, then, Chair.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal Toronto—St. Paul's, ON
I'm going to tell you that they will now go back to their clans and their houses and all members of the nation will determine and ratify this proposal.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Chief Dan George, who is one of the chiefs elected by the community, has been trying to get a meeting with you, and even wanted to be part of the discussions when you just met with them a few days ago, and said they—the elected chiefs—were shut out of the meeting. Why?
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal Toronto—St. Paul's, ON
Well, I am not aware of that. I'd be happy to meet with Chief Dan George any time.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Okay. I'm glad you said that, because I heard it earlier. I just spoke with Chief Dan George and all the elected chiefs who are supportive of the project, and they said that they have been trying to get a meeting with you and they haven't been able to. They feel very frustrated. They want to have this....
Actually, you know, the bigger frustration for the elected chiefs and, I'd say, for the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs who support the project...they want to have a community discussion about the issue.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
When you go into the community and you pick only a very select few to talk to, just the ones who are opposed to the project.... They are very frustrated. The hereditary chiefs who support the project are very frustrated. We have one in the room with us today; Theresa Tait Day is at the back of the room.
There's a frustration that you're only wanting one result by only meeting that particular group. Even some of the ones you met are chiefs under suspect circumstances. Chief Woos is one of the examples. The ones you're meeting with have questionable circumstances, so the legitimate Wet'suwet'en chiefs who want to meet with you are questioning whether they should be at the same table, because it legitimizes somebody that maybe isn't.
To me, somebody who is the minister should know all of these concerns in the community and be very careful about who you meet with when you go into that community. If your true desire is to really bring the community together, as you've said, and not create division, not be exploiting divisions, and be open and honest, you would have everybody at the meeting. Why would you exclude from the meeting any from the community who are leaders in the community?
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal Toronto—St. Paul's, ON
I think you misunderstand that there are two separate conversations. I wasn't there to talk about a pipeline. I was there to talk about rights and title. The rights and title conversation will happen in the clans and the houses, and everybody will be there to ratify it. I will go back and see if they have agreed to that. Then I will be meeting with everybody.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
That's even a bigger problem, then. If you're not talking about Coastal GasLink.... I talked to the elected chiefs too. They were troubled—
